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NATIONAL Association of Secondary School Heads president Johnson Madhuku has applauded sponsors of the annual Copa Coca Cola boys Under-16 and girls Under-17 football tournament for championing the development of the sport in the country.Speaking at the official launch of the 2014 tournament at Chemhanza High School in Hwedza, Mashonaland East on Friday, Madhuku said the competition has proved to be a catalyst for stardom for most promising youngsters.
It will be 26th edition for the boys competition and the girls the tournament will be running for the fourth year.
Delta Beverages through its Coca-Cola brand has put $250,000 up from last year’s $230,000 for the secondary schools football fiesta.
This year’s finals will be played in Harare from July 18 to 20 with Churchill and Roosevelt Schools playing host to the boys and girls’ competition respectively.
Madhuku said the fact that the football tournament has produced footballers competing at national level shows that it has been a success.
Football legend Peter “Nsukuzonke” Ndlovu, former national team striker Benjani Mwaruwari, Kudakwashe Mahachi, Belgium based trio of Vusa Nyoni, Cephas Chimedza and Ovidy Karuru are some of the prominent players that once played at the Coca Cola sponsored youth tournament.
“This is clear evidence that the efforts of our sponsors are paying dividends, they are bearing good fruit, building the Team Zimbabwe that we want. As Nash we are also happy to note that Copa Coca Cola winners have been spread all over the country in the past few years and not only in urban centres.
“The competition continues to provide a stage for talented youngsters to showcase their talents and probably set a base for their careers in football which happens to be one of the biggest employers these days.
“The other notable thing is that the winners are spread across the country ending urban dominance. Today we are here at Chemhanza High School, last year we were at Mzingwane High, a clear indication that soccer talent is abound in all our schools and is clearly not a preserve for the urban establishments,” said Madhuku.
Chemhanza are the defending champions in the boys’ section and Chidyamakono from Masvingo are the girls title holders.
The launch of the tournament and draw was combined with the official send-off of two players Tatenda Tumba and Tatenda Munditi from Chemhanza who will attend a week-long camp in Brazil next month.
They will be leaving on Sunday.
Tumba and Munditi made it into the All-Stars Copa Coca Cola African team during last year’s Copa Coca Cola International Training Camp in South Africa.
They will also have an opportunity to watch the opening Fifa World Cup match between Brazil and Croatia.
Meanwhile, Chemhanza will battle it out against winners from Mashonaland Central and Masvingo in Pool A while Pool B will see winners from Harare, Bulawayo and Midlands fight for honours in what has been billed as the group of death due to the rivalry of the three provinces have.
Pool C consists of Mashonaland East, Matabeleland North and Manicaland. Churchill are in Pool D and will be joined by winners from Mashonaland West and Matabeleland South.
In the girls’ category, Roosevelt will be joined by winners from Matabeleland South and Mashonaland Central in Pool A while Pool B will be made up of champions from Masvingo, Bulawayo and Mashonaland East.
Chidyamakono, Matabeleland North and Midlands will fight for honours in Pool C and Pool D is made up of Harare, Manicaland and Mashonaland West.
Provincial finals will be on June 27.
Online Reporter